Believe this is a female. She burrowed two holes, side by side, under a limestone walkway slab. The only flowers I saw her nectar on were mints - Horsemint (Monarda punctata) and Virginia Mountainmint (Pycnanthemum virginanum).

It took me three days just to get her at the flowers. Extremely shy. She's still around. I saw her in the grass today, walking around - looking for spiders, I'm sure. What a beauty! I'll try to keep tabs on her this weekend, see what turns up.

Very difficult wasps to photograph. They are completely aware of the camera and the photographer, until they have a kill. Then they are aware but are overwhelmed by the urges and you can shoot them. One of my favorite wasps though. Along with Poecilopompilus.

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